Washington, D.C. - The Federal Communications Commission today
released a Notice of Apparent Liability (Notice) proposing that SBC
Communications, Inc. (SBC) be held liable for a fine of $6 million.
Today's action follows an investigation into SBC's compliance with a
competition-related condition imposed by the FCC in approving certain
license transfers in connection with the 1999 merger of SBC and
Ameritech Corporation.

In approving the license transfers, the Commission required SBC to
offer the shared transport unbundled network element in the former
Ameritech states on terms at least as favorable as those offered to
telecommunications carriers in Texas as of August 27, 1999. In today's
Notice, the Commission found that SBC appears to have violated this
condition in each of the five former Ameritech states by attempting to
restrict the use of shared transport by carriers providing intraLATA
toll service. The $6 million fine proposed by the Commission is the
statutory maximum for the five apparent violations (one in each of the
former Ameritech states).

In accordance with procedures established by the Communications Act of
1934, as amended, and the Commission's rules, SBC has 30 days to either
pay the proposed fine or to respond in writing. Should SBC submit a
written response, the Commission will consider that response and then
proceed to issue a final ruling.

Action by the Commission, January 16, 2002, Notice of Apparent
Liability
(FCC 02-7).